


Protecting Her

by Tuba_chan



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Bodyguard Romance, F/F, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-03-09 08:17:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13477428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tuba_chan/pseuds/Tuba_chan
Summary: "Alright, Chabashira, I'm setting the rules now. No getting attached to our charges, and absolutely no falling in love with our charges." Maki rubbed her temples in frustration."But Harukawa-san, how can Tenko do that... Her charge is so cute!"Maki groaned, already foreseeing that her overly emotional partner was going to jeopardize their first ever assignments. Why couldn't Tenko be like her, more calm and reserved, and not loudly proclaiming every new emotion that jumped into her head. Forming attachments with her client was something that would never happen to Maki, let alone falling in love.





	1. Chapter 1

“Hey, Maki, don’t you think you’ve trained enough for today?” A concerned voice echoed from the opposite side of the dimly lit room.

Said girl paused in the middle of her pull ups. She was on her hundredth, yet she’d hardly even broken a sweat. “I’ve just barely started my routine; I’m not even ready for a break yet.” Maki said, letting go of the bar and dropping to the floor with a slight thud. She bent to take a quick swig of ice-water from her canteen.

“Well, that may be so, but have you forgotten that you’re being assigned your first client today?” The familiar man tapped his watch. “Matsuo-san is coming with the file today, and you’re also meeting your new partner.”

Maki raised an eyebrow. She placed her canteen on her nearby bench, “Partner? Onishi, I’ve told you time and time again, I only work alone.”

Onishi only shook his head, his tired eyes focused on Maki’s narrowed gaze. “I know Maki, I know. But this girl’s client is rather close to yours, so it only makes sense to have you two team up to make sure they both stay safe. Now come with me, she’s in the dojo right now.”

Maki let out a pointed sigh. Nonetheless, she followed close behind him. “Fine, but she better be able to keep up with me.” The pair stepped outside Maki’s personal gym, then began making their way to the dojo down the hall. Their shoes clacked loudly against the cement with each step.

“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.” Onishi held the door open for Maki to walk through first.

“ _Hiyaaaahhhh!_ ” A piercing cry hit their ears as soon as they entered. Maki watched in mild disbelief. A girl no more than an inch taller than her, yet _very_ muscular in her build, grabbed one of her sparring partners and effortlessly slammed him into the mat-covered floor. Two more men wearing protective gear came charging at her from either side, but they stood no chance as she grabbed them by their collars and hurled them with all her strength.

The men came to a halt right before Maki’s feet, groaning from the impact. She recognized them as the partners she often sparred with herself, but she didn’t normally take on them _plus_ what seemed like all the dojo employees combined. And yet, they kept coming. More gear-clad men attempted to take the girl by surprise, but each one was taken down by a kick to the stomach or an elbow to the ribs.

“Um, excuse me. I don’t mean to interrupt, but I’ve brought your partner so you two can meet each other.” Onishi called out.

The girl sent one more man into the growing pile of defeated fighters before she turned her head. “Ooooooh, hello there!” She quickly switched over to a cheerful demeanor and all but skipped over to greet them. “Tenko Chabashira, at your service!” The girl, apparently named Tenko, saluted Maki. “Tenko hopes that we can work great as a team!”

Maki replied with a curt nod. “Maki Harukawa. I’m not used to working with other people, but cooperate with me and we should be fine.” Maki was reluctant to use the word “partner” and already begrudged the whole situation. But at the very least, she was glad that her forced partner was competent in fighting skills.

“Well you’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other, as you’ll be protecting each of your own clients as a joint effort, so to speak.” A gruff voice that sounded like it was strained too much over the years came from the dojo entrance.

“Ah, Matsuo-san, you’re early.” Onishi respectfully bowed to the man; Tenko and Maki quickly followed suit.

A man that looked to be in his early sixties slowly made his way over to them. “Didn’t take as long as I thought it would to get here.” He ran a scarred hand through his salt and pepper-colored hair. “I take it you two must be Harukawa and Chabashira.” They nodded in response. “Well, I’m here to give you an explanation of your clients’ situations and to show you their basic information.” He pulled two manila envelopes from within his jacket and handed each girl their respective files. “Chabashira, your client is Himiko Yumeno. She’s rather… lethargic, for lack of better words. When you’re not guarding her at school you’ll mostly be in her house watching over her.”

Tenko carefully scanned the girl’s information. She was of small stature, just 4’11”, and had crimson hair that fell just above her shoulders. Her top lip curved a bit over her bottom lip, revealing that she had an overbite. “Oooo, Tenko’s client is _really_ cute and tiny! Why would anybody want to hurt somebody so cute?”  

“Her small and defenseless nature is exactly why she’s the perfect target for criminal organizations. You see, Yumeno goes to a very prestigious high school, not many are chosen to become a student there. Yumeno is rather valuable because of the funding her magic tricks draw in for the school on an annual basis; somebody could easily hold her for ransom.” Tenko nodded along to each word Matsuo spoke.

“Well Tenko will make sure that no criminals get their filthy hands on Yumeno-san! And if any of them try, Tenko will _crush_ them!”

After what Maki had seen only minutes before, she didn’t doubt that statement. She then opened her own file and was greeted with the sight of a grinning blonde. A long cowlick stood pronounced against the rest of her hair and she wore musical note pins in her bangs. “Kaede Akamatsu?”

“Yes. To call her an extremely gifted pianist would be an understatement, Akamatsu brings both the school and her family what is practically a fortune on the regular.”

“Mm, I see. And she goes to the same school as Yumeno?” Maki glanced at the bottom of her file, _“Hope’s Peak Academy”_ was written in bold lettering.

“Indeed, which is why we figured you two ought to get acquainted with one another. Of course, you each have your assigned girl to guard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help the other out should trouble arise.” Onishi answered.

Maki supposed that it made enough sense, but she still believed that she didn’t need anyone else’s help when it came to guarding someone.

“Now Harukawa, Akamatsu is a lot more active than Yumeno. Whereas Chabashira will mostly be within the Yumeno residence, you’ll be bouncing around quite often. That won’t be too much of a hassle, will it?” Matsuo asked.

Maki shook her head. “I’m sure I can handle Akamatsu’s lifestyle. It can’t be much more active than my own.”

Matsuo grinned a bit for the first time since he’d arrived. “Good. In that case, you’ll both be meeting your clients first thing in the morning. I’ve attached the address to the back of the envelopes, and the meeting time is 8 A.M.”

“Alright, we’ll be there at 8 o’clock sharp.” Maki bowed once more, followed by an enthusiastic Tenko.

“Tenko will make sure of it as well!”

Matsuo grunted in response, then turned to bid Onishi farewell. “I trust your judgement in choosing these two. Remember, there’s a lot riding on the line here.”

“Don’t worry Matsuo-san, nothing’s gonna go awry as long as these two are on it!” Onishi assured.

“Alright. I’ll be taking my leave then, see you all next morning.” Onishi and Matsuo bowed to each other, then Matsuo made his exit at the same leisurely pace as before.

Once the door shut again, Onishi turned back to the pair. “Ah, Maki, I forgot to mention earlier that your bedroom is currently under maintenance. So sorry, but you’ll have to sleep somewhere else tonight.”

Tenko excitedly clapped her hands. “Oh, oh! Tenko would be more than happy to let Harukawa-san sleep in her room tonight!”

“Oh, thank you, Chabashira.” Maki was a little taken aback by the sudden offer, but she wasn’t about to complain when she had no other bed to sleep in.

“Perfect! Then, feel free to spend the evening however you see fit, but make sure to get plenty of rest tonight. I’ll see you both in the morning.” Onishi gave a small wave before leaving to take care of the other soon-to-be guards that trained in the facility.

“Well, I’m going to go finish training in my gym. What number is your room so I can meet you there?”

“Ah, mine is room 263. Tenko will see you there tonight!” She waved to Maki, then in a shift as drastic as the one earlier, she screamed at the top of her lungs as she went back to beating up practice enemies.

Meanwhile, Maki returned to the secluded room she was happy to call her gym. Not many of the other trainees got one to themselves, but you could earn one through improved skills and taking care of side tasks around the buildings. It had everything she needed for her daily routine. There was a pull up bar screwed into the back wall, shelves lined with various weights; there was also a mat for her to do her stretches and other exercises that required her to get on the ground. The only light source was a 2x2 foot wide window, but Maki didn’t mind. If anything, she preferred a dimmer setting. “Alright, back to work.” To get herself back in gear, she knelt to do a few warm up stretches.

She exhaled deeply; the stretching burned her muscles, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable burn. With one leg curled against her and the other laid straight out in front of her, she lunged forward a bit to help her calf muscles become more flexible. “Good, good… I should almost be good to go.” Once she was done warming up her leg muscles, Maki stood up and stretched her arms behind her back, then over her head. Another exhale released as she felt herself fully limber up. “Okay, let’s finish this off then.”

The rest of Maki’s routine consisted of 100 pushups, 100 squats, and some brief weight lifting for extra measure. By the time she was finished, a sheen of sweat coated her face and neck. She reached over to chug the last of her water, which by now had gone lukewarm. Wiping the sweat off her forehead and throwing a towel over her shoulders, Maki decided she might as well get dinner then prep for bed. She was never that much of a big eater, so she slapped together whatever leftover ingredients she could find in the communal fridge and ate quickly.

It wasn’t the finest of meals, but it got her full, which was all she cared about. The time on the clock read 9 P.M. _“Well, since I like to wake up earlier, I might as well get ready now.”_ Maki brushed her teeth and exchanged her sweaty tank top and athletic shorts for an old, oversized t-shirt and a different pair of shorts. She then made her way to the 200’s building and eventually found room 263.

_Knock, knock, knock!_

“Be right there!” Soon enough the door swung open to reveal Tenko. The pinwheel ribbon from before was removed, and her hair was let down so that it flowed along her back. Her pajamas of choice weren’t all that different from Maki’s, she’d opted for a pair of short black shorts and a white t-shirt that exposed her mid-riff. “Ah, Harukawa-san! Come right in, the bed’s all ready.”

Maki nodded, thanking Tenko again before claiming the left side of the bed. After Tenko relocked the door, she lay beside Maki and turned off her bedside lamp. “Good night, Chabashira.”

“Good night, Harukawa-san!”

That was where the conversation would have ended for Maki, or at least, what she would have preferred. What Maki soon realized was that when Tenko was excited (which was often), she literally, physically, could not keep her mouth closed for more than 30 seconds at most.

“Ooooo, Harukawa-san, are you excited for tomorrow? Tenko is really, _really_ excited! This is what master’s been training me for my entire life!”

Maki absentmindedly hummed in response, turning to face away from Tenko.

“Oh, oh, and Yumeno-san looks _so_ cute! Her picture alone makes Tenko feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Oof, I wonder how small she is next to me. Ooo, Harukawa-san, do you think she likes cute things like stuffed animals? I bet she does. I should bring her a gift!”

Maki grumbled and pulled the covers up over her ears. It was going to be a long night, and an even _longer_ partnership with this girl. Clientele could hire bodyguards from as little as a day to as long as a lifetime, and Maki wasn’t sure if she looked forward to a lifetime of Tenko talking her ear off late into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter? New chapter! Good to see you all again, I've just been doing, y'know... culinary things (such as obtaining new burn scars each week). But now that this is all tapped out, here y'all go!

Maki cracked one eye open, her head pounding from the lack of sleep. Dark bags outlined her eyelids, but she still pulled herself up with a soft sigh. “Chabashira, are you-?”

  
“Ah, you’re awake, Harukawa-san!” Came Tenko’s voice. “Don’t worry, Tenko grabbed you a small breakfast so that you wouldn’t have to.” Tenko set a plate that held a bagel smothered in cream cheese next to Maki.

  
“Oh… Thank you.” Maki rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, then grabbed the bagel and slowly nibbled on it. “What time is it?”

  
“6 o’clock, so we have a little bit to get ready and stuff.” Tenko looked like she was already dressed and ready to get going. She wore the same blue outfit paired with wooden sandals and her pastel pink choker that Maki had seen her wear before.

  
Maki curiously watched the girl. “…And how long exactly have you been awake?”

  
Tenko took a moment to tap her chin and hum in thought. “Ummm… Tenko thinks she woke up at a little before 5?” Tenko noticed Maki’s look of confusion. “Ah, Tenko really likes watching the sunrise in the morning. It calms and fills her with energy for the day, so she tries to wake up early enough every day for it.”

  
Maki slowly nodded in response. She woke up at about the same time every day, but it was only early enough for sunrises during certain months. “I see…”

  
“Anyway,” Tenko plopped next to Maki. “Tenko can’t wait to go meet the girl she’ll be protecting! Do you think she’ll like this bear I got her?” Tenko reached over to grab a caramel-colored stuffed bear that was nearly as big as her; Maki suddenly felt very awake as half her vision was taken up by pure fluff.

  
“Well… I guess, but- Why, exactly?”

  
Tenko gasped. “Tenko couldn’t just show up to Yumeno-san’s house without a gift! That’s something only a degenerate male would do,” She narrowed her eyes. “Or he’d do it with impure intentions, but that’s not how Tenko Chabashira does things!”

  
At this, Maki gave Tenko a long, hard stare. “Chabashira, do you hate men?”

  
Tenko scoffed and leapt out of bed for what probably wouldn’t be the last time as she grew easily restless. “Of course I do! Nasty, degenerate men are always preying on innocent girls! Master taught Tenko that, and she has her own experience with degenerates…” For a moment, Maki thought she saw pain flash across Tenko’s face. But if it had been there, the girl had quickly shaken it away and replaced it with a look of confidence. “But that’s why Tenko wanted to become a bodyguard, she wanted to protect defenseless girls from those predators.”

  
“I… see. Well, I’m going to shower and get ready. Meet you in Onishi’s office afterward?”

  
Tenko nodded and headed for the door, outrageously large bear in tow. “Will do! For now, Tenko is going to get a little bit of cardio in before we leave. Oh, and feel free to use Tenko’s shower; you don’t have to go all the way to the group showers.”

  
Maki muttered a reply. A morning workout sounded nice, maybe she’d be able to squeeze some in too. Though working out after showering seemed counterproductive, so she decided she’d stretch and do some pushups to kick off her day.  
She pressed her feet together and stretched her legs in a butterfly stretch. As she did so, she worked on limbering up her arms as well. With a quiet groan, she pulled herself into pushup position and set to grinding out fifty of them. In no time and with little strain put on her, she finished her set and found Tenko’s bathroom. The walls were painted a soft seafoam shade of green and everything was kept in a neat, tidy order. Maki grabbed an unused soap bar along with a bottle of shampoo and set them inside the shower. She stripped off her pajamas and turned the heat to full blast, then stepped under the pouring water. She exhaled heavily, picked up the bar and began scrubbing away at her skin.  
She quietly hummed a low tune and worked her way along her body, then ran shampoo through each long section of her hair. The hot water rushed down her scalp and eased the occasional tangle out of her hair with the help of her hands.

  
After a little while, Maki stepped out of the shower feeling fully awakened and refreshed. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body, then took another and bundled her hair into a loose twist. She saw her usual black and red-themed uniform hanging alongside several of Tenko’s uniforms. She idly wondered to herself when the girl had found time to retrieve her clothes from her room as she dropped her towel to the floor and pulled on her undergarments first. She sat down on the edge of Tenko’s bed and pulled on her thigh highs one at a time before quickly pulling on and arranging the rest of her clothing. Since her hair wasn’t quite dry yet, she took it and tied it into two tight buns where her twin tails would normally be. After pinning back a section of her bangs that stuck to her forehead, she glanced at the clock. _“7:00, I guess I should get headed to Onishi’s office. Who knows how far away these girls live.”_

  
Maki half-jogged her way to Onishi, where Tenko already stood waiting. “Ah… Harukawa-san… Ready for the day to start?” Her speech was littered with short pants, indicating that she’d just finished running. The bear hung loosely over her shoulder.

  
Maki nodded. “Ready as I’ll ever be. Onishi, do you have a car waiting?”

  
He hummed in response, leading the pair through his cramped office and out the back exit. “It’s a bit of a lengthy drive to get to their neighborhood, so it’s best that we leave now. They’re waiting for us at the Akamatsu residence.”

  
So, Maki and Tenko squeezed themselves into the backseat of a cramped compact car. “Onishi, could you have possibly gotten us a smaller car? I think there’s too much space back here.” Maki sarcastically quipped.

  
“Haha, very funny.” Onishi responded, then turned the key in the ignition. “This was the only car left in the lot, and we’re lucky we could even get it. But I know it’s not exactly roomy back there, so why don’t one of you come to the passenger seat in the front?”

  
Tenko turned to Maki. “Um, Harukawa-san, you can have it if you want. Or Tenko can leave you back here with Hanikuma.”

  
_“So she’s already named it. Somehow that seems like a very ‘Chabashira’ thing to do.”_ Maki hummed and climbed over to the seat next to Onishi.

  
“Let’s get going then!” Onishi pulled out of the facility’s driveway, and the trio began their road trip. That meant that for an entire hour straight, Maki got to hear Onishi’s horridly awkward attempts at small talk in her left ear while her right ear was assaulted with Tenko’s endless babbling about how excited she was to meet Himiko.

  
“And Tenko will make sure she’s always comfortable and- Oh, are we here?” Tenko’s speech came to a brief stop when Onishi parked the car in front of a large, grandeur house.

  
“Yep, this is the right address. So you four can get to know each other, then I’ll explain everything else that still needs to be, alright?”

  
Maki nodded, and Tenko looked like she was trying to keep herself from exploding in excitement. They exited the car one by one; each of the three paused to stretch their legs before Onishi was leading them up the concrete path. Tenko clutched the stuffed bear close to herself as they grew closer to the large porch. The porch was made from aged driftwood, and to the left was a rocking chair covered in old blankets and throw pillows. On the right was a larger rocking chair that was clearly made for two and held a hand-stitched pillow that sat in the middle. As they crowded around the door, Maki looked down and saw a worn-out mat that had “Welcome” printed in letters that were dulled from years’ worth of dirt and dust. Onishi pressed the door bell and a soft piano tune played from its speakers.

  
“I’ll be down there in a second!” Came a clear voice from the window above them. The window shut with a muddled skidding sound which was followed by the sound of footsteps clunking down a staircase. Soon enough the front and screen door were opened to reveal the cheerful blonde from Maki’s file. “Oh you’re right on time! I’ve been so excited to meet you all,” Kaede clasped her hands together and stepped to the side. “Come in, come in, make yourselves at home! Himiko-san’s upstairs right now, but I’ll go get her!” With that she disappeared up a winding staircase, leaving the three to kick their shoes off and awkwardly stand in the doorway in spite of Kaede's insistence to get comfortable.

  
Tenko leaned forward as far as she could to try and see up the stairs; she was rewarded with the sight of Kaede being followed by a small, clearly sleepy girl. Tenko immediately recognized her as Himiko and had to restrain herself from bounding up the stairs like a dog let off its leash. Himiko sluggishly rubbed her eyes as the pair reached the bottom of the stairs. “Mnnn, Kaede, why’d ya wake me up… Was in the middle of re-chargin’ my MP.”

  
Kaede ignored Himiko’s clear objections, and instead stepped aside so she could see the small group. “Himiko-san, the bodyguards our parents hired are here! Don’t tell me you forgot they were coming.”

  
Onishi finally shut the front door closed, and Tenko took Kaede’s statement as her cue to introduce herself. “A-ah, I’m Tenko Chabashira, neo-aikido master and trained bodyguard!” Tenko stepped up to Himiko and held the stuffed bear out for her to grab. “Tenko will be protecting you from now on, so she brought you this gift! H-hopefully you like it,”

  
Himiko wasn’t quite sure what to say as she took the bear that was so big it dragged on the floor as she held it. “Umm… Thank you?”

  
Tenko jumped in place from how happy she was despite Himiko’s mostly confused reaction to her gift. “Ahhhh, it was the least I could do for you~!” The pair wandered off into what Maki assumed was the living room, which left her with Onishi and Kaede.

  
“Well, I’m sure you already know, but I’m Kaede Akamatsu.” Kaede’s smile widened as she bowed before Maki. “I trust that I’m in good hands!”

  
Maki hummed softly in response, barely making eye contact. “Maki Harukawa. You’ll be safe with me.”

  
Kaede paid no mind to Maki’s lack of conversation. “I’m certain I will! I do have to say, though…” She eyed Maki closely, her hand instinctively going to her chin.

  
“…What is it?” Maki cursed herself for not leaving her hair down; now she had nothing to play with to distract herself.

  
“Well, when I heard that my parents had hired me a bodyguard, my thoughts went to a huge burly dude in a suit and shades… I wasn’t thinking I was gonna get a cute girl my age!” Kaede’s toothy grin returned.

  
“…Yeah, whatever.” Maki’s face nonetheless turned a faint shade of pink that she hoped Kaede wouldn’t notice.

  
“Well,” Onishi interrupted, clearing his throat. “I believe it’s time to give all of you a rundown of how this is going to work.”

  
“Oh! Come with me then, there’re plenty of seats out here.” Kaede led them to where Tenko sat excitedly jabbering off to Himiko. Himiko looked like she could barely keep up with the conversation as she peeked over the bear she’d just been gifted.

  
Maki took her spot in a leather sofa adjacent to the loveseat that Tenko and Himiko shared. Kaede then sat beside Maki and crossed her legs.

  
“I’ll try to keep this brief so you can get on with your day. Tenko, Maki, I’ve contacted the principal of Hope’s Peak to let them know of the situation. However, to all the other students going there, you two are merely exchange students, understood?”

  
Tenko and Maki let out a hum of agreement. Himiko and Kaede nodded along as well.

  
“Good, good. As you already know, Tenko will be staying with Yumeno and Maki will be staying with Akamatsu. However, for tonight, I ask that all four of you stay in the same house to get used to each other. Does that sound like something that can be arranged?” Onishi turned to Kaede.

  
“Oh, yeah, I’ve got guest rooms for both Chabashira-san and Harukawa-san! Himiko-san, can you let your parents know you’re spending the night here?”  
“Yeah, I’ll send ‘em a text…” Himiko pulled out her phone and quickly tapped out a message.

  
“Great, that gets another thing out of the way. Regarding how often you need to be with each other, I want you to be together most of the time. Obviously there are exceptions, like bathing and other personal times…” He cleared his throat. “But other than that, it’s safer for you to remain close at all times. And if you absolutely must be apart for a longer period of time, I want you to check in with each other regularly.”

  
“Mmm, Tenko can definitely do that! Is there anything else Tenko should know?”

  
Onishi shook his head. “Just use your best judgement and remember your training. I should be getting back to the facilities so I can train the other recruits. Do any of you have anything to say or ask before I leave?”

  
Kaede and Himiko shook their heads. Maki glanced up to Onishi and shrugged. “I think you covered all my concerns. I guess I’ll… see you around?”

  
He nodded, a faint smile on his worn features. “This isn’t the end of the road, don’t worry about that. I’ll still occasionally stop by to see how things are going. The Akamatsu and Yumeno families will be taking care of pay, however.” He turned to walk to the door, but didn’t leave without saluting Maki. “Call me if you ever need anything.”

  
Maki held her hand to her head in her own salute. “Will do.”

  
With that, Onishi bowed to the four of them, and silently left the building. He closed the door gently behind him and soon enough, his car could be heard backing out of the driveway and speeding away.

  
“So…” Kaede said, glancing over the three of them. “What do you guys wanna do?”

  
“Nyeh… I kinda wanna go back ‘n finish my nap.” Himiko longingly looked to the staircase. “I’m still kinda tired.”

  
“Oh, then Tenko will guard you while you do! Girls need to be well-rested after all!” Tenko stepped beside Himiko enthusiastically.

  
“I mean… Alright, I guess…” Himiko shrugged but made no protest as Tenko followed her up the stairs.

  
Kaede turned back to Maki with a soft smile. “Harukawa-san, is there anything you wanna do with me?”

  
Maki shrugged. “Nothing comes to mind.”

  
Kaede hummed before suddenly snapping her fingers. “Oh! I play piano a lot, do you wanna listen to me play? We can get to know each other a little better too!”

  
“Sure, I don’t see why not.” Maki figured she might as well witness the talent that warranted protection in the first place.

  
“Oh, yay! The piano's this way!” Kaede startled Maki by grabbing her wrist and all but dragging her to a narrow hallway that led to a different set of stairs. This staircase led down into a dimmed basement that at first, seemed plain. But Kaede skipped over, with Maki still dawdling behind her, to throw the curtains covering the small windows aside. Unfiltered sunlight poured in and fell upon the most beautiful grand piano Maki’d ever set her eyes on. It was a dark red shade that contrasted nicely with the surrounding pure white carpet. The ivory keys' off white shade appeared aged, but in a way that only added to the piano's overall luster. She found herself sheepishly walking up to it and placing a finger against one of the treble keys. "I see you've taken a liking to it," Kaede's amused voice came from beside her. "My parents figured I could use an upgrade once I got a little older and a little less 'child-sized'. I still have my first piano in the closet though, for keepsakes!" Kaede took a seat on the low bench and patted the open space next to her. 

Maki took the hint and gingerly took her place. "It is lovely..." She looked up and noticed posters of various pianists haphazardly tacked to the walls. Occasionally she'd see old sheet music and important awards as well, but there was no rhyme or reason to the order in which Kaede kept anything; Maki noticed that quickly. She also noticed that she'd accidentally been tuning out the blonde. "I'm sorry, come again?" 

"I said, 'Do you have anything specific you want me to play for you'? Y'know, like are you in the mood for some Chopin, some Schumann? I'm down to play anything you want!" 

Maki scratched behind her neck and hummed to herself. She looked down at the piano pedals and tapped her nails against her hip. "Hmm..." She glanced up a bit just in time to see Kaede give her a sad smile.

"Harukawa-san, if you don't wanna hear me play, that's okay you know. You're allowed to say no, I know I can get on people's nerves when all I wanna do or talk about is piano." 

Maki shook her head. "No, no. That's not it. It's just that, well... I don't really know much about piano composers. Just, play whatever you want to." 

"Ohhhh, that's fine then! In that case, I can play Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 in C Minor for you! It's a really fun piece to play," Kaede stretched her arms in front of her, cracking her knuckles as she did so. Maki was a bit surprised to see that she didn't need to even look at any sheet music as she dove straight into playing. The tips of her fingers came down against the keys firmly, but not too strongly. Kaede began to tap out a melody that started out slow and relaxed, and the room filled with calming music. 

Maki watched Kaede's face soften as she got lost in her music, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as her hands traveled across the keys. Maki's gaze soon switched to her hands when the music switched from calming to a sudden fast pace. The pace posed no trouble for her slender, trained fingers, but Maki could barely keep up just watching. Her hands were constantly hopping from one side to the other and switching places occasionally; Maki found herself entranced by the skill and finesse that went into it all. She didn't register that time was passing at all as the music switched in moods, and with it Kaede's technique shifted as well. Her eyes were shut slightly, which further intrigued Maki.  _"I can't imagine being able to do this with my eyes open, let alone closed..."_ Maki looked down and caught a glance of Kaede putting the pedals to work, though she had no idea which one did what. All she knew was that Kaede was definitely the best pianist she'd ever heard, and that she wouldn't mind being dragged down here often if it meant she got to listen to the girl play more. 

"Hellooooo, earth to Harukawa-sannn~." Maki didn't realize she'd blanked out again until Kaede's hand was waving in front of her face. "You sure seem to space out a lot, but that's alright. What did you think though? How'd the piece make you feel?" Her violet eyes were twinkling with excitement as she stared into Maki's. 

The intensity of the eye contact forced Maki to break it and stare at one of the crooked posters. "You... really know how to play the piano." 

"Hehe, it's the one thing I know well~. It's even helped me with social situations," Kaede briefly stood up to stretch her legs. "Sometimes I can't exactly understand people... But I can understand piano, and I can use it to communicate my emotions too!" She turned to Maki, then nervously giggled as she stared past her. "Sorry, I'm probably over-sharing, since we've just met and all..." 

Maki replied with a soft grunt and a shrug. "It's fine, I guess. I'm just not as talkative about those kinds of things." 

Kaede put a hand on Maki's shoulder, which caused her to jump away in surprise. "Oh, are you not comfortable with touching either? Sorry, I wasn't thinking!"

"It's alright, just tell me when you're going to do something like that."

"Umm, okay, sorry again... But like I was gonna say, Harukawa-san, if you ever need anybody to talk to about things like that... I'm right here to listen! And if you ever need a little pick me up in the form of a song, the piano and I are always waiting too." Kaede giggled softly.

"Yeah, no thanks... I'm not one for talking about emotions." 

"Well, like I said, you don't  _have_ to, but the offer's still always up on the table." Kaede reached out again, but shrank back. "Um, is it okay if I pat your shoulder?" 

Maki rolled her eyes. "I guess it's fine." She watched Kaede from the corner of her eye as the girl gently pat her shoulder a couple times.  _"So I've got a partner that wears her emotions on her sleeve and a charge that wants me to bare all mine out for her to hear. Great. What a great situation I've ended up in."_ Though she had to admit, Kaede did seem like a genuinely caring person. 

"Kaede, we're home!" An unfamiliar voice called from the top of the stairs. 

"Oh, papa, I'll be upstairs in just a minute! The bodyguards are here, by the way!" Kaede backed away from her piano and began dragging Maki once again. Maki didn't even bother fighting it anymore.

"Ah, Harukawa-san!" A short blonde that had to be Kaede's mother was the first to bow before Maki. "I believe we spoke to you and that Onishi fellow over the phone, it's so great to finally meet you!" 

Maki bowed in return, "It's nice to meet you as well." 

"Have you eaten at all today? We were just about to cook breakfast." The man smiled warmly as he set down two well-stocked grocery bags. His pale blonde hair was slicked back with a thick gel, and his eyes shone from the sunlight filtering through the partially drawn curtains nearby. 

Kaede pulled out a chair and sat at the island in the center of the kitchen. "Harukawa-san, what are you in the mood for?" 

"I'm not really hungry, but thank you." Maki nonchalantly started her way toward the staircase that Himiko and Tenko had taken before. "I'll go get Chabashira and Yumeno so they can have some." 

"Oh, okay! Papa, did you get the stuff to make waffles?" Kaede rubbed her hands together in anticipation. 

Kaede and her parents continued to discuss breakfast, meanwhile Maki followed the plush carpeted stairs up to the second floor of the house. She immediately spotted Tenko sitting crisscross in front of a closed door. "Oh, Harukawa-san, what brings you up here? Did you get sleepy too?" 

Maki shook her head. "No, I'm just here to get you two down there for breakfast. Anyway, what are you doing sitting outside Yumeno's room like that?"

"Well, Tenko can't very well watch Yumeno-san while she sleeps, that's indecent! Tenko doesn't know Yumeno-san well enough to do something like that yet," She stood up and dusted off her skirt. "Tenko can guard her just as well from out here!" 

"Yeah yeah, alright then. Do you want breakfast or not?" 

Tenko nodded, patting her stomach a bit. "Tenko's metabolism is really fast, so she gets hungry often." She slowly opened the door a crack and peeked in, her lips turning upward in a small smile. "Yumeno-san, are you ready to eat?" 

Maki stood by as a soft yawn followed by some quiet mumbling came from the room. Tenko stepped aside for Himiko to leave the room, her red hair messy and unkempt. "Mmm, was' there to eat?" She finger-combed her hair briefly and pulled on a pointed hat until it was a comfortable level for her. 

"Hmmm, whatever it is, Tenko thinks it sure smells good!" Sure enough, a mix of savory and sweet scents rose to the trio. Upon returning to the kitchen, the scents became more prevalent and were accompanied with the sound of sizzling. 

Mr. Akamatsu flashed a grin over his shoulder. "Ah, you girls are just in time! We've got biscuits and gravy, blueberry waffles, and some over-easy eggs too. So grab a plate and help yourselves!" Kaede was already cutting into a stack of waffles dripping with syrup, idly chatting with her mother. 

Maki grabbed a seat next to Kaede while Himiko and Tenko helped themselves to breakfast. 

"Harukawa-san, can you share what training was like?" Mrs. Akamatsu curiously asked. 

Maki went rigid almost instantaneously. She felt as though she were being trapped in a dream that was quickly turning into a nightmare. Everything suddenly went black, and she could no longer hear the others around her. _"No, wait, you won't make it! Wait for me,"_

_"NO! Oh my God... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."_

"Um, Tenko will excuse Harukawa-san and herself for a moment!" Maki was brought back to the present when she felt herself physically hoisted over Tenko's shoulder and carried out into the living room, much to the bewilderment of the rest of the group. 

"Maybe... that's part of training?" Kaede guessed. 

Maki struggled against Tenko's grip before she was finally set down. "Chabashira, what are you?!-"

"Harukawa-san, are you okay?" Tenko asked with genuine concern masking her features; her brows furrowed and the corners of her lips turned downward. "Tenko's sorry for dragging you out like that, but Tenko... recognized the look on your face." Her eyes darted to the side as she let out a shaky breath. "Does Harukawa-san... also have painful flashbacks?" 

Maki avoided looking directly at Tenko. "I... really don't want to talk about it." 

Tenko nodded in understanding. "Tenko knows how hard it can be. Can... she at least ask what triggers Harukawa-san's memories? Tenko wouldn't want to unknowingly hurt you." 

Maki sighed, "It changes so often, I can't really give you an answer. Sometimes it's not even what somebody says, it's  _how_ they say it." 

"Mmm... The same happens to Tenko. But if Harukawa-san ever wants to talk about-" 

"No," Maki cut Tenko off sharply. "Look, I'm just here on business, not to talk about my life story. I won't ask you about your past if you don't ask about mine." Part of Maki knew that that probably wasn't the right thing to do, and she could already feel Tenko's hurt looming over her. But the rest of her really didn't want to dredge up everything that was wrong with her, everything that made her so cold and unwilling to work with others. 

"...If that's what Harukawa-san wants," Tenko choked down the words that wanted to come rushing forward, and instead got a head start in going back to the kitchen. "Breakfast is probably getting cold, we should head back." 

Maki closed her eyes, inhaled deeply and let out a cleansing breath. "Yeah... yeah we should." 


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the day passed by without much incident; Onishi briefly returned only to drop off the girls’ clothing and toiletries before he was off again. Maki learned a bit more about Kaede and her interests and was grateful that she didn’t seem to pick up on the episode that occurred during breakfast. _“Well, at least now I can rest today off. Hopefully tomorrow there’s less talk about my ‘feelings’ too.”_ After wishing everyone else a quick good night, Maki collapsed in the guest bed reserved for her. She didn’t feel the need to change into her nightwear as she could already feel herself slipping into blissful unconsciousness.

  
Just as she was about to succumb to slumber, Maki heard a crash. Her eyes shot open and she grumbled to herself, “Is Chabashira training this late at night?” But then she heard the scream. Her blood ran cold and she bolted out of bed as fast as she could.

The blood-curdling scream she heard definitely belonged to Kaede. She hissed in pain when her knee struck the corner of her door as she dashed into the hall, but she managed to shake it off quickly. “Chabashira! Did you hear-“

  
But Tenko was currently busy busting the door to Himiko’s room open. That was when Maki heard a second, higher-pitched scream come from inside, but it was growing distant. _“As though she were being dragged away…”_ Maki shook her head and ran for Kaede’s door, twisting the knob in a frenzy. “Great, it’s locked too! I should have figured,” She inhaled deeply, exhaled again as she took a few steps back, then lurched forward and slammed her body against the door.  
Screws were sent flying everywhere as the door fell inward off its hinges; Maki ran in and scanned the room with quick glances. A cool breeze washed over her from the open window where she could see a shadowy figure sneaking around the building, carrying Kaede and briskly running toward the trees that lined the Akamatsus’ backyard. “Not on my watch,” Maki dove out into the dark night, rolling forward as she reached the ground. She dusted herself off, then sprinted faster than she’d ever sprinted before. After a yard or so, it felt like her legs weren’t even there anymore, but she didn’t care. The adrenaline coursing through her veins allowed her to easily catch up on the figure, who now appeared to be a man just shy of 6 feet tall. She sent a swift kick to the back of his knee which sent him tumbling forward with Kaede in tow. “Akamatsu, are you okay?” Maki pulled Kaede to her feet and carefully set her to the side.

  
“Uh, yeah…”

  
“Good,” Maki pounced the man and held his arms behind his back before he could crawl away. “Move a muscle, and I’ll break both your arms. And don’t think I’m bluffing.” She growled.

  
He struggled beneath her, but this only caused Maki’s grip on his forearms to tighten. “Ughhh… Akamatsu-san, are we done yet? I think I’m starting to lose feeling in my wrists…”

  
Maki raised an eyebrow, “What are you talking about?” But her question was answered as soon as she saw Kaede’s parents step out from the darkness of the forest.

 

“Well done, Harukawa-san! You’ve passed our test.” Mr. Akamatsu clapped enthusiastically, followed by his wife who was equally joyous.

  
“Wait, this was… a test?” Maki let go of the man and backed off of him; he sighed in relief and rubbed his arms. Maki wiped at the sweat that trickled down her neck, the after effects of her rush settling in.

  
“Yes,” Mrs. Akamatsu stepped forward, offering a sheepish grin. “It’s not that we didn’t trust your ability to fight… We only wanted to see how you’d do with an attack that came completely out of the blue. And you passed with flying colors!”

  
Maki hummed and jumped a bit when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her. “Oops, sorry, I forgot to ask again!” Kaede apologized before backing up. “Uh, can I hug you?”

  
Maki turned around, sighing in resignation. “Yeah, I guess.” Kaede pulled her into a loose embrace as soon as she was granted permission and lay her head against her shoulder.

  
“Ah, I’m sorry if I’m being too forward! It’s just, you were really good out there; now I know that if there’s a real emergency… I’m definitely safe,” Kaede mused to herself.

  
Maki's cheeks turned bright red, but she felt comfortable in blaming it on the fact that they were kneeling in freezing cold grass at 10:49 at night. “Well of course you are… Wait, did you know that this was a test?”

  
Kaede nodded against her. “Yeeeeah, mom and papa didn’t think it was a good idea to leave that a surprise to Himiko-san and me. Speaking of which, mom, did Chabashira-san pass?”

  
In the distance, Tenko’s raging battle cries could be heard echoing throughout the backyard, followed by what sounded like flesh being brutally tenderized.

  
“…I’d say that’s a yes, from the sounds of that.” Mr. Akamatsu squinted to see what was going on. “Should we go greet Chabashira-san and Himiko-san’s parents?”

  
The four (plus the man hired by the Akamatsus) walked over to the side of the house where Himiko’s spare room was. They sped their walk up to a jog when they realized that Tenko was mercilessly laying into the fake kidnapper.

  
“Chabashira, Chabashira!” Maki ran up and attempted to pull her off the poor guy, but Tenko was even stronger than she looked, which was already a significant amount. “It was just a test, you can stop!”

  
“GH- huh?? Let go, Tenko’s teaching the degenerate that tried to make off with Yumeno-san a lesson!”

  
“That’s what I’m saying, it was _fake_. Neither Akamatsu or Yumeno was ever in actual danger, we were being tested.” Maki managed to pull Tenko away just enough so that the man struggling beneath her could crawl away with a soft whimper.

  
Himiko cleared her throat from nearby. “That’s… what I was trying to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen to me…”

  
Tenko turned first to Himiko, then to Maki, then to the man rubbing his jaw as blood poured from his busted lips. He looked completely and utterly battered. “Uh oh… Tenko’s sorry for going overboard…”

  
“Well... You've sure got a nice right hook!” The man smiled at Tenko. It was a pained smile filled with blood, but it was a smile nonetheless.

  
“Tenko thanks you!” Tenko bowed before him and perked up when she heard steps approaching from the left of her.

  
“I must say I’m… quite speechless.” A baritone voice spoke. “You’ve certainly proven yourself worthy of guarding our daughter!” Tenko looked up, and a short man who leaned against a steel cane for support cast a grin in her direction. “I’m Himiko’s father, Yuuto Yumeno. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

  
“And I’m her mother. Chabashira, I knew we picked the right bodyguard for Himiko but, wow! You’ve absolutely stunned us!” She bowed to Tenko before making her way to the injured man, ice pack in hand. “Errr, I do hope that a hefty paycheck will cover the… extra force.”

  
He nodded, smile still as full as he could make it. 

  
Maki was a bit weirded out by his over-positivity; not many would be too thrilled to have the amount of injuries he did at the moment.

  
“Uh… can I have some help getting up though?”

  
“We can help out,” Mr. Akamatsu bent down to help Mrs. Yumeno lift the man up from the ground. “Girls, you can head inside and wash yourselves up for bed. …For real this time.” Kaede’s father waved them off. “Ah, and Yuuto-san, you don’t need to trouble yourself with kneeling. We’ve got this covered.”

  
“Oh nonsense, I can still-“

  
“Dad, please don’t hurt yourself.” Himiko cut him off, a hint of worry evident in her voice.

  
“…Alright, alright, I’ll be heading home then. Honey, I’ll see you later tonight. And Himiko, sweetie, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  
Maki watched curiously as Mr. Yumeno hobbled off. Soon enough, Kaede was at her side whispering in a hushed voice. “Himiko’s dad has bone cancer, so he needs to lay off on stressing out his joints…”

  
“Oh. Is he-“

  
“They’re giving him treatment for it, and he should recover. It’s really hard on Himiko though…”

Maki nodded, carefully watching Himiko without making it too obvious.

"Yumeno-san, would you like Tenko to give you a piggy back ride?" Tenko's eyes gleamed with hope in the faint moonlight.

"Nyeh... Walking is a pain, so I guess..." Himiko winced from Tenko's loud, sudden squeal. 

"Hop on Tenko's back then!" Tenko kneeled so that Himiko could easily climb onto her back, then once she was settled, wrapped her arms gently behind her legs and happily took Himiko back to her room. Maki glanced back at Kaede now that the pair was alone again. 

"So... I guess good night for real, now?" Kaede said with a small grin. "I kinda wanna get heading inside now though... Cold temps and a night gown don't exactly mix well." She played with the hem of her gown, which Maki noticed now bore a large grass stain from the fall she'd taken. 

"Yeah, it's getting pretty late." Maki led the way for the both of them, though her eyes needed to adjust to the lighting differences once they made it back to the stairwell. 

Maki came to a stop in front of her room and Kaede continued to her own further down the hall. "Sleep well, Harukawa-san!" Kaede slipped inside her room, but not before shooting Maki a parting grin. 

"I'll try." Maki muttered more to herself. She was about to get headed back into her own room, when she saw Tenko leaning against Himiko's door, seemingly half asleep. "...Chabashira?" She asked in a hushed voice. 

"Mm-huh?... Is something wrong, Harukawa-san?" Tenko asked, stretching her legs and yawning excessively. 

"I know you stayed outside Yumeno's room while she was napping, but why aren't you sleeping in your own room now?" 

Tenko shook her head, sinking further back against the door. "No way, Tenko can guard Yumeno-san much better from right here! What if a degenerate male snuck into her room and it wasn't just practice? Tenko can't waste precious seconds trying to get out of her own room!" 

"Whatever you say." Maki couldn't care less about Tenko wanting to destroy her back instead of getting regular sleep in an actual bed, the day was finally taking its toll on her. She undid her buns, relieving the tight feeling she'd had in her scalp. Her hair unevenly fell down her back, but she'd fix it in the morning. For now, all she cared about was getting a good night's sleep. 

 

* * *

  

Come morning, Maki awoke better rested than she had the previous one. She credited that to not having to listen to Tenko's nonsense babbling during the night. With a soft yawn and a quick stretching of her arms, she kicked the blankets off herself and swung her legs over the side of her mattress. She haphazardly threw her covers back to the way they'd originally been set, then quietly made her way out of her room. As she expected, Tenko had long been awake. She could be heard singing to herself from all the way downstairs. 

"Ah, good morning Harukawa-san!" She greeted before taking a large bite out of an apple she grabbed from the Akamatsus' fruit basket. "Tenko just finished her morning stretches, but she hasn't done any other training yet. Do you maybe wanna be her sparring partner?" 

Maki gave the thought some entertainment. From what she'd seen, the two had completely different fighting styles. Maki was more about the element of surprise while Tenko was all about brute force. It would be interesting, to say the least, if the two of them were to have a match against each other. "That does sound tempting, but it's a little early for that don't you think? I still need to do my stretches, but then maybe we can do some basic work outs together." 

Tenko nodded enthusiastically, crunching through more apple until only the thin core remained. "We can always spar another time! Can Tenko stretch with you again? She may have already done hers, but you can never have too much warm up!" 

"I suppose that's fine." Maki quickly finger-combed her hair before grabbing two hair ties from her pocket and tying it up into two separate ponytails. The pair then stepped out onto the front porch and were greeted by cool morning air. It looked like it was going to be a nice day as only a few scattered clouds dotted the sky. 

"Ahhh, weather like this really fills Tenko with energy!" Tenko dashed onto the dew-covered lawn and did a few cartwheels to expel some energy. She kneeled down afterward, pressing her legs together while she waited for Maki. 

Maki hummed, taking her spot across from Tenko and starting off with a few stretches to warm up her back muscles. Tenko meanwhile, went straight to stretching her toned abs. When Maki shifted to work on her other muscle groups, she heard the familiar shuffle of the window above them being pushed open. "Are you two training already?" Kaede called down. "That's soooo cool! Can I watch you? I'll bring you two some breakfast!" 

"I don't see why you're so excited, it's just the basics... But I won't stop you." Maki moved onto stretching her quads, not paying Kaede further attention. 

The sound of Kaede's clunking footsteps echoed from the inside stairwell. Soon enough the sound of crashing utensils could be heard as Kaede attempted to cook breakfast for the three of them.

Tenko looked to Maki, who rolled her eyes again and returned to stretching. "Gosh, Tenko sure is jealous... She wants her charge to look at her like that too!"

"Oh please, you don't need someone to idolize your every simple movement." 

"Hmm, you're right. Tenko isn't quite cute enough for that anyway..." The girl solemnly pulled at her skirt hem. 

"That's not what I- Oh, forget it. Anyway, you go let Akamatsu ogle over you instead. I'm doing my cardio now." 

Tenko sputtered and turned pink. "W-wait, Tenko's not worthy of that she said! Tenko sweats too much and when she laughs she-"

By that point Maki stopped listening to Tenko's self-deprecating ramble. Often while she was training she zoned out into her own little world regardless of who was speaking to her. She managed to jog a few circles around the yard before Kaede returned with full plates of omelets, cured meats, fruits and various cheeses spread out. 

"Woah!! Akamatsu-san, you can cook?" A bit of drool dripped from the corner of Tenko's mouth; she all but ran to meet Kaede at the steps of her porch. 

"Eh, most of this is just pre-prepared stuff. I guess I can take credit for the omelet though," Kaede beamed as Tenko shoved a few bites of cheese into her mouth. 

Maki stepped forward as well and tentatively grabbed a fork. She took two bites of omelet, then a blush formed as Kaede watched her in anticipation. "It's... not bad." Was all Maki could manage even though truth be told, it was probably the best breakfast she'd ever been served. 

"Well, I am glad that I could at least whip up something so you two wouldn't be hungry anymore. You need your strength, after all!" 

Above them, the small shuffling noise of the window could be heard once more. "Nyeh... What's with all the yelling down there?" Came the slightly annoyed voice of none other than Himiko. "I was still sleeping..." 

"Ah, Yumeno-san!" Tenko's voice only grew louder, and it became apparent to Maki that the girl actually had no sense of volume control. "Tenko and Harukawa-san are having breakfast with Akamatsu-san; are you gonna come down here?" 

Himiko looked like she was ready to head back to sleep for who knew how long, but Kaede responded in her place. "Well Himiko-san, we have to get the rest of our school supplies today anyway, so you might as well come down here and eat so we can get going." 

 "Ugh... What a pain." Nonetheless, the window shut once again and a couple minutes later, a grumbling Himiko appeared behind Kaede. 

"Um, Himiko-san... Have you gotten dressed yet?" Kaede arched an eyebrow. Sure enough, Himiko was still in her cream-colored nightgown; her hair wasn't all that neat either. 

"Ah, does Yumeno-san need help picking her outfit maybe? Tenko could be of assistance-"

"...Actually, I think I'm fine." Himiko ducked away and trudged back to her room in search of her usual clothing. 

"Well, I'm gonna get my shoes on and stuff too. And you guys do whatever you need to, then we can get going!" Kaede skipped back inside, leaving the bodyguards by themselves.

Tenko frowned and turned to Maki, "Harukawa-san, Yumeno-san seemed uncomfortable... did Tenko do something wrong?" 

"You're much too forward, for one thing... She's only known you for a day, step back some and stop being so intense around her."

"I-intense? Tenko didn't know she was too intense!" 

Before Tenko could start sharing another quarter life crisis conversation with her, Maki left the girl behind so she could straighten out whatever she needed to before the group would be leaving together. After adjusting her twin tails so they'd be more comfortable, she was already set and walking back to where Tenko was waiting. 

"Alright, who's ready to go?" Kaede dashed to the doorway and came to a halt beside Maki and Tenko.

A few moments later, a now ready Himiko was shuffling by her side. She pulled her pointed hat taut and shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah... We're not walking all the way to that store on campus though, are we?"

"It's the best option, really. Why wouldn't we go to the place that actually  _has_ the required items list posted? Besides, you're gonna have to start walking there again every day. You might as well get used to it now."

Himiko dramatically groaned in response. "That uses up so much mana..." Nonetheless, the girls set on their trek (which in reality was only about a 15 minute walk). About halfway there, Himiko whined about being too tired to continue and reluctantly accepted Tenko's immediate offer of carrying her the rest of the way. Tenko seemed ready to burst with joy, which Maki didn't quite understand but didn't question. 

Not long after, Kaede pointed up ahead of them, "Alright Himiko-san, we're here, think your mana's recharged enough?" She asked jokingly. 

Himiko clung tighter onto Tenko's shoulders. "Nyeh... Not really." 

"Well Tenko can carry Yumeno-san in the store, it's no biggie!" 

Kaede glanced at the pair with uncertainty. "...Alright, but Chabashira-san, you know you don't have to do everything for her like that, right? You'll make her spoiled." 

"Well, Tenko doesn't really mind... Yumeno-san's light as a feather!" Tenko reassured her grip around Himiko's legs, and the small girl stuck her tongue out at Kaede. 

Maki pinched the bridge of her nose at Tenko's willingness to be treated like a mule. "...Whatever, what all do we exactly need?" 

Once they were inside, Kaede gestured to a large poster that was beginning to peel away from the wall, thanks to its poor tape job. The list mostly consisted of things like what color notebook was needed for each class, pencils and their school uniforms. "Should we split up to get our things then meet up afterward? Since Tenko and Himiko share their classes together, and then you and I share our classes together." 

"Yeah, that makes sense." Maki nodded, following Kaede into the clothing aisles while Himiko led Tenko toward the notebooks. Maki started out by grabbing a few navy blue skirts in her size, followed by a couple white polos and two gray blazers. She also picked out a maroon tie since it was required for second year students, then took her clothes into the nearest changing room to make sure nothing would need to be altered or hemmed. To her satisfaction, everything fit perfectly and she even smiled at herself in the mirror just the smallest bit. 

"Pssssst, Harukawa-san, are you in there?"

Her smile returned to neutral displeasure at the familiar voice of Tenko. "What is it, Chabashira?" She replied while scrambling to replace her uniform with her regular clothing. 

"Once you're done in there, Tenko needs your help making a decision!" 

Maki stepped out and had another maroon tie as well as a maroon ribbon shoved in her face. "Which one do you think would make Tenko more appealing to girls? On the one hand, ties suit girls much more than they do filthy, degenerate males! ..But on the other hand, a ribbon would give that cute feminine touch, like when Tenko added ruffles to her skirt," Her frown deepened as she looked back and forth between the garments. "Harukawa-san, what do you think?" 

Maki inhaled and exhaled sharply through her teeth for what probably wouldn't be the last time. "How should I know? If you're having so much trouble deciding, then just get both of them." 

Tenko gasped and either didn't notice or outright ignored the edge to Maki's voice. "You're so smart, Harukawa-san! Tenko can alternate between them!" The hyperactive girl dashed off to finish placing what she wanted and needed in a shopping basket. 

Maki finished her shopping first, she just got the basics and figured she didn't need to try to go extra. 

Kaede came after her, carrying a couple baskets full of required materials- plus what looked like new books full of sheet music for her to play and practice with. 

Himiko and Tenko were done last, Himiko mainly due to "lack of mana" and Tenko because it looked like she would have bought the whole store if she could have. Maki peeked over into the basket and saw a multitude of extra composition books, and at the top of the basket was a box full of pens with little plastic cats for the caps. It figured, if something seemed cute, Tenko would drop everything to dote on it. 

Kaede grew cheerful again, "We're all ready for tomorrow, then!" 

The rest of the day blurred together. There wasn't much else to do but sit around and talk about whatever came to mind. Once night had fallen, each girl slowly grew more tired before they were wishing their good nights through half-muffled yawns. 

"G'night Harukawa-san, Tenko will see you in the morning.." Tenko mumbled to Maki before stumbling to get ready to sleep and to assume her position in front of Himiko's room. Said girl had already gotten ready for bed long ago and was snoozing peacefully. 

Maki nodded to acknowledge Tenko and shuffled down the hallway toward the bathroom so she could brush her teeth as well. First, she stopped in front of Kaede's door to wish her a quick good night. "See you in the morning, Akamatsu." 

Kaede peered up from the soft, pink covers of her bed and managed to smile through her sleepiness. "Good night Harukawa-san, have sweet dreams!" 

After Maki had changed into pajamas and washed up, she crawled into bed and fell asleep shortly after. Kaede's wish for Maki to have sweet dreams unfortunately were for naught, as Maki entered a dream she'd had hundreds of times before. It was a nightmare in which she relived the worst moments of her life, the main source of her trauma. 

Maki uneasily tossed and turned in her sleep. Once the nightmare had begun, it was impossible to break free until it had run its course.

 


End file.
